Local school districts canceled school for today, but Friday’s plan is hinged on the severity of winter weather — snow, freezing rain and sleet — predicted for today.
Officials with the Columbus Municipal School District were out at 4:30 this morning checking road conditions to determine if buses could run. By 5:30 a.m., school officials had decided to close for the day.
But plans for Friday are still up in the air. CMSD Superintendent Del Phillips is meeting with transportation coordinators at 4 p.m. today and will make a decision from there, said Janet Lewis, district spokeswoman.
The district will notify parents of closures via Falcon Phone Blast messages. Employees will be notified by e-mail; television and radio stations will carry the announcement at 6 a.m.
Lowndes County School District Superintendent Mike Halford said Lowndes County schools expect to resume a normal schedule Friday.
Starkville School District will decide later today whether classes will resume or be canceled for Friday.
“We won’t know until this afternoon,” said Nicole Thomas, spokeswoman for SSD.
Starkville schools will use a voice and e-mail messaging service to alert parents and students to closures based on recommendations by the Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency.
Notices will also be posted on the district Web site and local television stations. Oktibbeha County schools will use a voice messaging service, send e-mails to employees and post notices on its Web site and local television stations.
West Point and Clay County schools will notify parents via television and radio announcements.
The Mississippi Department of Education also is posting public school closures at the following Web site: www.mde.k12.ms.us/weather.
On the Web
Mississippi Department of Education school closure list: www.mde.k12.ms.us/weather
Columbus Municipal School District: www.columbuscityschools.org
Lowndes County School District: www.lowndes.k12.ms.us
Starkville School District: www.starkville.k12.ms.us
Oktibbeha County School District: www.oktibbeha.k12.ms.us
How smart do you have to be if it's a 90% chance of wintery mix then there shouldn't be any school. Getting up at 4:30 am to look at roads won't tell you anything about what may happen during the coarse of the day. The top cats in Oolumbus do not have a clue. Studennts'safety always come first.
I agree with June Bug & Mr. Sanderson. If I dont feel my children are safe & warm at school I will not send them regardless of what the bozo's at LCSD say. They are not the ones paying my childrens medical bills if & when they get sick from being out in this mess. Plain and simple: below freezing guess what.. the roads along with everything else are frozen!! We the parents pay the taxes for these schools & I DARE anyone to count my children's absence as unexcused when they are home & safe. We as parents have to put our foot down to these "big wigs" that call themselves making the best decisions for our children. Who will be missing work if our kids get sick? How will we get to the children should mother nature decide to give us another blast of ice & snow. I for one will not be one finding out. Better safe than sorry
My children will stay home tomorrow also. I help out in the classroom quite often, and the classrooms get very cold. With the temps getting as low as they are, my two will be comfortable at home tomorrow.
I also did not appreciate the call at 5:50 this morning alerting parents that school was closed. Once the local colleges closed down Wednesday evening, the local schools should have followed suit so parents could have time to make other arrangements. I'm an at home mom, but it is only considerate to the parents and the staff to give them ample time to make definite plans. If college students aren't able to make it to school, you certainly can't expect elementary - high school students to be able to.
I agree with the parents--anyone in that position should have enough common sense to know that getting to class is not worth risking your life--that is what snow days are for!
There is no excuse for stuff to be closed today. By the way people act like here, you'd think this area was full of rubes who have never seen a snowflake before.
No he could not have any. Then he would know that Phillips refuses to turn the theromstat above 65 degrees. Because he wasted the money on that Bubba Gump Losing Program!
Dictator Phillips if the students come back tomorrow are you going to turn the HEAT UP? You do know that students can not perform well when they are cold?
That is a good point, maybe you can get the kids to school but what happens when the weather turns bad and you can't get them home? Not to muention the students that drive to school. Hey June Bug maybe you need to be the head top cat in Columbus:)
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